It's long been a desire of mine to visit the Scottish Highlands and now with recruitment of a Canal Environment & Heritage Officer for the Caledonian Canal underway, maybe I'll have just the excuse to go. Our work in Scotland is going from strength to strength, as well as extending our work to the Highlands our Scents & Sensitivities project at Auchinstarry Basin on the Forth & Clyde Canal is just a few weeks away from completion.

This has been a mamouth iniative - to transform a new canal basin into a resource which is valued, used and enjoyed by the local community and visitors to the area.

Working with the local community of Croy, we have helped to create a sensory garden and nature trail, new pathways and seating areas. Stunning sculptures provide wonderful focal points at the site. Local school children worked with artists to create artwork which now adorns litter bins, picnic benches and helps to interpret the site. Volunteers from The Coach House Trust also learnt valuable woodworking skills when they helped create the picnic benches.

This project is a great example of just how we are helping to enrich people's lives through waterways.